Falling
by hearts-avarice134
Summary: AU for AWE. Sometimes, I want to die facing up, to see the horizon. Other times, I want to die facing down, to see the deck of my ship. But, always, I seem to die falling...falling into you. Norribeth.
1. Falling First

_So, this is the first story I've deemed even remotely close to acceptable to upload. I'm not so great at writing author's comments... (take note of that if anyone ever wants me to write a preface to a book...not a good idea). So, i suppose I'll simply take care of the formalities and let the story do the talking. Here goes._

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story, nor do I own any part of the Pirates of the Caribbean enterprise (although, if someone could hook me up, I'd be much obliged _ )_

James Norrington, Commodore Norrington, Pirate Norrington, and now Admiral Norrington has regretted many things in his life, but never more than as he stands here looking at Elizabeth. Elizabeth, whose eyes burn with a hatred, a resentment so deep as to destroy him. He can see the betrayal, the distrust, and, somehow, the pain that she projects while they stand together on the helm of this god-forsaken ship, watching as her crew clambers back to the _Empress. _James returns the gaze, his own eyes guarded and unyielding.

"Do not go to Shipwreck Cove. Beckett knows there is a meeting of the Brethren. I fear that there is a traitor among them." Whispering, he allows his gaze to stray to the men Elizabeth travels with, hoping to portray his concern without having to say it.

"It is too late to earn my forgiveness now." Her words cut into his heart, twisting. Elizabeth's eyes soften fractionally, as if she can see the hurt that she has caused him, but they crystallize again when he opens his mouth to speak.

"I had nothing to do with your father's death." James cannot bear to look at her disbelieving eyes any longer, dropping his head as he admits ashamedly, "But that does not absolve me of my other sins."

James closes his eyes, closes his mind for a moment to recall how he felt depositing the bag with the heart on Beckett's desk, how he loathed himself at the same time that he jubilated. Oh, what he would have given then to be restored instantaneously, to have Elizabeth beside him again on that parapet. To catch her when she fell….. His face twists into a bitter sneer, hidden from Elizabeth, as he thinks, for the millionth time, that all his hopes would have been fulfilled had she not worn that thrice-accursed corset.

"Come with us," Elizabeth's voice cuts through James' attention, startling him into looking into her eyes again, "Come with _me_, James."

Momentarily, his heart jumps with joy, _she wants him to go with her. _Peering from her eyes, however, is not a true wish for him to join her. In truth, all he can see brimming in those steely gray depths is confusion, about herself for having asked him, about him for not denying immediately. The realization hits James, and he can feel himself falling. _She doesn't think I've ever loved her; she doesn't know! _He longs to reach out and touch her, to pull her against him and announce to the world that, by God, he has loved her, and he still does. But he is frozen.

Abruptly, there is a crash disturbingly close to them, and a gravelly voice calls out, "Who goes there?"

Without hesitation, James pulls out his sword, swiveling away from Elizabeth. Relief floods through him for this distraction, even as he slips into his well-worn military persona and he becomes the stiff and unyielding Admiral Norrington. Elizabeth stiffens beside him as he turns away, but he has no time to ponder why. He must get her off of the ship and to safety, he owes it to her and to the red, red heart that he has sealed away deep within himself. Yet, her hand reaches out to touch his sleeve, somehow unwilling to leave him even though both of them know that she does not really want him to go with her.

"Go, I will follow." Norrington knows that he sounds forced, but does not wish to turn and gauge Elizabeth's reaction.

"You're lying." Anger, horror, and, most confusingly, fear infuse her voice as her grip tightens on his sleeve.

Norrington spins around, and at the sight of her face, James can no longer hold back. "Elizabeth, our fates have been intertwined, but never joined,"

Summoning his courage, he leans forward to press his lips against her soft ones, reveling in the feel of her so close to him. What he would not give to let this moment live on for forever, this kiss that he should have offered her so long ago. She is unresponsive beneath him, though, and so James draws back, his emotions fractured and struggling to collect himself.

With difficulty, he drags Admiral Norrington out once again, stiffening his expression into an emotionless mask. With a voice on the brink of cracking, he offers her his last desire, "Now, go."

Elizabeth sweeps onto the rope dangling between the two ships as Norrington listens to the loud thump of one of the monstrous crew members approaching. A disfigured man reveals himself, gesturing wildly in the direction of Elizabeth's retreating figure. Norrington plants his feet on the deck decidedly in an attempt to intimidate the bastard, but he can see the madness in the thing's eyes.

"Leaving the ship… Captain said no one is to leave the ship…." The monster mumbles as he gazes blearily at Norrington.

"Back to your post, sailor," Norrington states firmly as the man begins to chant disconcertingly under his breath.

When the sailor starts to shout, yelling for reinforcements, Norrington's heart skips a beat as he realizes that Elizabeth is not yet far enough away to be safe. In a split moment's decision, he hefts his gun at the thick rope connecting the _Dutchman _with the _Empress_. _I'm sorry, Elizabeth._

Norrington can hear her scream as she falls, a single cry for _James_. A sudden, blinding pain shoots through his body, but he clings to the lingering sound of his love, struggling through the pain. Looking down, James winces when he sees the jagged wooden plank protruding from his chest, just below his ribs. With a grunt, he leans backwards heavily, his legs giving out beneath him as he collapses against the railing of the ship. A final effort to stand in the face of his death sends James overboard, falling, falling, seemingly through eternity.

The pain bludgeons his senses, pulsing with growing intensity against his brain, until he closes his eyes and welcomes the seawater rushing up to greet him as an old friend.

_There will be more...eventually... Please read and review...well, i guess if you've made it this far you've already read more or less, so you're already halfway there! Let me know how I'm doing. If you hate it, please tell me, and I'll try to make any reasonable changes. If you loved it, i'd love to hear from you and find out where you think this should go. If you're indifferent...well, you're important too. Thank you!_


	2. Falling with You

Elizabeth screams as she falls, clutching onto the thick rope that ties her to the ship that she _owns. _ Looking upwards as she drifts to the open sea, she can see Admiral Norrington standing on the deck of the _Dutchman_, turning away from her already. Before she even understands that he has just cut off his only means of escape, the wooden spar is rammed through his torso with maddening strength.

And all she can see is the way that his body jerks, stiffening for a moment from the sudden intrusion and convulsing once before falling slack with the pain undoubtedly coursing through his veins. His name tears unbidden from her lips, a name she has not properly used for much too long. She can hear herself screaming, begging for this to be a lie, begging for him to be with her instead of on that damned ship where his life fades with each passing moment.

Now, he's falling, a final defiance in the face of Davy Jones, a demand for the dignity of dying where he has chosen. In that defiance, however, Elizabeth sees her chance, and she reaches out with arms made strong by the coarseness of pirate life, carving brave strokes through the water to where he had fallen. Plunging into the salty depths, she forces her eyes open to find his limp body sinking ever deeper into the cold embrace of the sea. Struggling now, as she grasps his hand and tries to wrap her arms around his broad shoulders without moving the thick wood embedded in his body.

His body is heavy in her arms, too heavy. _Dead _weight, she thinks, before shaking her head and blowing out a bubble of air in frustration. James is unconscious, no help to her as she struggles to kick them both upwards towards the light.

With a gasp, Elizabeth breaks into the welcoming emptiness of breathable air with James in tow, his damned hat and wig having fallen off of his head. Gladly, she beams up at the crew members of Sao Feng's ship as they approach her in the rowboat, before offering them James' unresponsive body. After sharing hesitant glances, they carefully heave him onto the boat before turning and pulling Elizabeth on board too.

As the crew members row back to the _Empress_, Elizabeth sits with James' head on her lap, silently panicking as he coughs blood onto her already-ruined dress. His breaths come with difficulty, rasping out from between his lips as his chest heaves from the effort. Never has she seen him looking so weak, so vulnerable, as he lies crumpled against her, the once-familiar warmth of his large body dissipating in the salty sea air.

Before she knows what she is doing, Elizabeth has pulled him closer, desperately trying to hold in the seeping blood that carries with it the life of a man she has just come to know exists behind the mask. She cannot help the tears that threaten to ooze out of her eyes as she watches James struggle, knowing that he has done this, _dare she say it_, to protect her. Protect her when she had rejected him so many times, cut into the heart that she hadn't know could break, perhaps did not care could break.

She is dragged from her reverie when he coughs again, grunting with pain, and turns his head slightly so that he is facing her, his face inches from her stomach. She can see the sadness, the despair, etched into his features now that he no longer has the consciousness to hide himself from her. Elizabeth cannot fight against the tears any longer, and they flow down her cheeks, singing on their way until they drip onto his chest. James groans slightly, shifting weakly against her lap as he tries to get into a more comfortable position. His eyelids flutter open, but they are unfocused, glazed with the burning that consumes his weakening body. Elizabeth moves him gently, apologizing when he grunts in pain, so that he is propped up, leaning back against the bare skin of her arms. Blood trickles from the corner of his lips, and she reaches to wipe it off, her fingers tan against his bloodless face, lingering indiscernibly against his lips as she feels for his fading breath.

"Elizabeth….Miss Swann…"


End file.
